HP touts global mobile broadband notebook

Mark Raby, 12th December 2006

Palo Alto (CA) - HP has partnered with Cingular and offers a notebook that could be considered the ultimate mobile broadband device at this time. In addition to the common Wi-Fi connectivity, the nc6400 comes with integrated UMTS/HSDPA-based technology that provides users with more high-speed Internet alternatives than before.

According to HP, the new notebook is the first notebook with a tri-band UMTS modem supporting data rates of up to 3.6 Mb/s in the United States. Broadband connections are established via Cingular's 3G BroadbandConnect network, as well as the wireless provider's EDGE service, which provide near broadband speed in most major cities in the country, as well as more than 115 countries worldwide, Cingular said.

According to the wireless provider, 145 metropolitan areas in the country have easy access to the high-speed mobile network, offering steady download speeds of as much as 700 kilobits per second and intermittently higher speeds topping 1 Mb/s.

"The global capability that the Cingular and HP alliance provides to customers presents a considerable advantage to those who need access to important information, whether they are on the other side of town, across the country or halfway around the world," said Cingular senior director Laura Johnson.

The nc6400 also offers a 14.1" widescreen display, an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and compatibility with Windows Vista, which is set to launch to consumers next month. HP and Cingular have worked together previously in the market of handheld devices. The company has offered wireless services in HP's line of iPaq handhelds, most recently the hw6900 series.

The nc6400 notebook is planned for release later this month, with a price starting at about $1600. Cingular's wireless network is available for an "all you can eat" price of $60 per month, with international plans in the $100 - $150 range.